NDP Leader Andrea Horwath marks the Day of Mourning

Today, I stand in Solidarity with workers across Ontario and Canada in marking and especially solemn and painful National Day of Mourning.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have essential workers in our hearts, including health care workers and public health staff, first responders, pharmacy and grocery store staff, farmers, truckers and supply chain workers. We are filled with sorrow for people who have been infected at work, and we mourn the loss of workers who have died from this terrible virus.

On this Day of Mourning, I’m launching the fight to ensure that all workers during this pandemic have presumptive WSIB coverage for COVID-19. Both for the virus itself, and for the trauma, PTSD and mental health challenges that may come after it. Thanks to the hard work of the NDP Labour critic for Workplace Health and Safety, Wayne Gates, the NDP will table a private member’s bill to accomplish that, because no essential worker should have to fight to prove this illness was contracted at work.

Even during this extremely challenging time, we know that every workplace infection, injury or death is a preventable one.

On behalf of the Official Opposition, I want to congratulate the Ontario Nurses Association on their legal victory, fighting for the right to have access to and to wear personal protective equipment, including N95 masks.

Every worker has the right to protection and safety at work, including personal protective equipment like N95 masks.

More than ever, on the National Day of Mourning we remember the dead, and fight for the living.